Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market and 7th Street & Olson/5th Avenue station
| Company type | Transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis , United States |
Area served | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Products | Light rail transit (Green Line), Bus rapid transit (C Line, D Line) |
Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market (commonly referred to as Royalston) alongside 7th Street & Olson/5th Avenue constitutes a Metro transit station situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The light rail (LRT) component, known as Royalston, is currently being developed as part of the Southwest LRT expansion of the Green Line, with an anticipated launch in 2027. Meanwhile, the bus rapid transit (BRT) segment, 7th Street & Olson/5th Avenue, has been operational since December 3, 2022, serviced by the C Line and the D Line.
Positioned within Minneapolis’s North Loop district, this station offers convenient access to both the Minneapolis Farmers Market and Metro Transit’s main offices. Geographically, it is located east of I-94 and north of I-394.
History
The C Line station opened in late 2016 featuring farside platforms on 7th Street for southbound travel and on Olson Memorial Highway for northbound service. This development was part of the 7th Street Pilot Station Project. The shelters installed conform to the standardized "kit-of-parts" design utilized system-wide for the A Line, differing from the distinctive BRT shelters found further south at Hennepin and Nicollet. Before the C Line commenced operations, ticket vending machines and Go-To card readers were put in place.
The positioning of the northbound platform was strategically chosen to allow buses to safely execute left turns from 7th Street onto Olson Highway without disrupting traffic flow. Although a potential D Line routing using this platform was examined, it was ultimately dismissed due to tests revealing average delays of two minutes with significant inconsistency, sometimes surpassing four minutes. Consequently, a new farside platform was built beyond 5th Avenue. This platform’s design and construction were incorporated into the Southwest LRT project rather than managed under the D Line initiative, with construction starting in July 2022. The southbound D Line continues to utilize the existing C Line platform.
Initially called Olson & 7th Street, the station received its current name after completion of the additional platform, with all signage and schedules updated accordingly by route and direction.
Southwest LRT station
According to projections made in 2014, this station was expected to have the lowest ridership by 2030. In 2015, cost reduction strategies even considered eliminating this stop. The site was once under consideration for a Minnesota United FC stadium; however, Allianz Field was eventually constructed in Saint Paul’s Midway area. Archaeological investigations near the station were commissioned by the Metropolitan Council in 2017. To better represent nearby landmarks, several Minneapolis stations underwent renaming in 2016; thus, Royalston Avenue was renamed "Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market" to emphasize its closeness to the Minneapolis Farmers Market.
Gold Line Extension
In October 2024, plans were announced for the ongoing Gold Line project to extend service by 2027 from downtown St. Paul to Olson & 7th Street. This enhancement will replace Route 94—an express bus operating along I-94—with upgraded bus rapid transit (BRT) that provides a direct connection to East Metro neighborhoods. Additionally, the Gold Line will leverage existing infrastructure shared with the C and D Lines in downtown Minneapolis, offering an alternative transit option alongside the Green Line.